Tie plate



Dec. 3, 1929. BECKMAN I 1,737,559

TIE PLATE "Filed Dec. 4, 1928 Rd 0 2O 8 Q10 l 0 H 1'? 0w H1 I1 (k-1 R0 0 guRlliffi im ATTORNEY" Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES BURCHARD" F. BECKMAN, OF FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS TIE PL TE Application filed December 4, 1928. Serial No. 323,682.

This invention relates to railway tie plates through which the rails may be secured to the ties.

It is the usual practice to secure the rails to the ties by headed spikes which are driven into the ties with the spike heads bearing directly upon the base flanges of the rails. Such practice has many disadvantages. The spikes damage the fibre of the tie when driven 19 into it, either with or without pre-boring, and form a place wherein moisture collects and fungus spores enter, thereby to shorten the life of the tie. Moreover, these damaged places are located immediately adjacent the 15 rail where the pressure 'due to passing loads is greatest and where the tie should be strongest.

It is the object of my invention to overcome these and other disadvantages. My tie plate so overlies the tie beneath the rail and for some distance beyond the rail flanges, thereby forming an extended base over which the loads are distributed. This plate is preferably imperforate, except near its ends, and is drawn tightly against the tie, by bolts or the like, so that water cannot readily reach that part of the tie which bears the loads and the impacts. The plate, therefore, serves as a protector of the tie at those regions where protection is most needed. The holes in the ties for the securing bolts are spaced from the rail so that any deterioration of the ties due to moisture entering said holes will be out side the load-bearing portions of the ties.

Further, by bolting the plates tightly to the ties, no motion between them is possible, all

relative motion between the rails and the ties being between the rail and the tie plates.

Thus, there is no appreciable wear of the ties due to the hammering of the car wheels.

lVhen the plates are applied, the fibre of the tie is compressed, and is in that condition whether or not a load is passing over the tie.

By the use of my tie-plate, therefore, the compression of the fibre is kept nearly uniform.

A further advantage is secured by placing the bolt holes adjacent one end of the plate farther from the center of the rail base than are the corresponding holes near the other end. By this construction, it is possible to change the gauge of the track by turning the plates at one rail through 180 degrees, the bolt holes in the ties remaining as before. By

turning the plates at both rails, the gauge may 7 be widened still farther.

By the use of my invention, the tie plates may be secured to their respective ties before the latter are placed in the track. This is preferably done at thetreating plant or storage yard where machinery is available for the purpose. This results not only in quicker and more accurate work, but avoids the danger of damage to the tie in securing the plates in place after the ties are laid.

WVhile my invention is susceptible of embodiment in forms which differ specifically, the accompanying drawing shows it in what I now regard as the preferred form. It is to be understood, however, that the claims appended hereto are not to be construed as limited to the details shown any farther than their specific terms and the prior art make necessary.

In thedrawings, Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a tie, the center portion of which is broken away, a transverse section through the track rails and a tie plate beneath each rail; Fig. 2 is an edgeelevation of a tie plate showing the upstanding deformable members, the full lines representing said members before distortion and the dotted lines representing the members after distortion, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the tie plate.

In Fig. 1, a tie is'indicate'd at 5, only the end portions of the same appearing. The railway rails are shown at 6, said rails hav ng the base flanges 7. These base flanges rest upon the tie plate 8 and extend transversely across it near the central part of the base portion. As appears from Fig. 3, the base portion of the plate is preferably rectangular, having a length considerably greater than its width. However, these relative dimensions are not material, as the plate could be made longer or shorter as desired and its width could also be increased or diminished.

Projecting upwardly from the base portion of thepl ate, and extending transversely across the upper surface thereof, are a pair of upstanding, deformable members 9. These members are so located as substantially to contact with the side edges of the base flanges of the rail when the latter is in position. In Fig. 2, the normal shape of these members is indicated in full lines. placed between them, the upper portions of the members are bent over toward each other, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and as shown in Fig. 1. This distortion of the members may be eifected in any suitable manner, as by blows from a spike sledge. When thus deformed with the rail base flanges in position, the said members bear upon or substantially upon the upper portions of the base flanges and hold the same downwardly with the rail base resting upon the tie plate.

Extending through the base member of the tie plate adjacent its ends are bolt holes 10 through which extend the bolts 11[ These bolts are projected upwardly from beneath the tie 5 through holes bored in the latter, and at their upper ends they are provided with nuts 12. In this manner the tie plate is secured to the tie and is capable of being so tightly clamped thereon as to prevent possibility of movement of the plate on the tie and to prevent the entrance of practically all moisture between the plate and tie. Of course, lag bolts or screws may be used, if preferred. The holes 10 for the bolts are spaced a substantial distance beyond the adjacent members 9, the result being that the holes in the tie are so far removed from the rail as to insure that those portions of the tie beneath the rail and which receive the greatest compression due to the heavy loads on the rail'will remain intact. That is to say, any damage to the fibres of the tie which may result from boring the holes or from the entrance of moisture will be in regions remote from the rail and such damage will not affect those portions of the tie which are most instrumental in carrying the loads.

As will be seen from the drawings, my pr eferred form'of tie plate hasv the holes 10 unequally spaced from the adjacent upstanding members 9. This structure is intended to provide for changing the gaugeof the track. Thus, the tie plate 8 at the leftof the figure can be turned about through 180 degrees and then placed over the ends of the bolts 11 without moving the latter. By so doing, however, the rail 6 will have been moved to the left and the distance between the rails 6 will have been increased. In like manner, the tie plate at the right of Fig. 1 may be turned about, still farther to increase the gauge of the track.

As indicated in Fig. '3, the upstanding members 9 extend the full width of the tie plate. Such is my preferred construction, but it is not a necessary feature, since these members may be shortened at the ends, or may be divided intermediate their ends. each When the rail is.

member then being composed of two or more upstanding lugs.

I claim:

1. A tie-plate having an extended. base portion and a plurality of upstanding members integral with the base portion, the space between said members being adapted for re ceiving the rail base flanges and the members being adapted for distortion toward and into substantial contact with the base flanges for securing the rail to the tie-plate, the base port-ion being provided with bolt holes between the ends of the base portion and the said members, said bolt holes being spaced unequally from their respective adjacent members whereby the plate may be turned and the gauge of the track varied.

2. A tie-plate having an extended base portion and a plurality of upstanding members integral with the base portion and extending transversely of the latter, the space between said members being adapted for receiving the rail base flanges and the members being adapted for distortion toward and into substantial contact with the base flanges for securing the rail to the tie-plate, the base portion being provided with bolt holes between the ends of the base portion and the said me1nbers, said bolt holes being spaced unequally from their respective adjacent members whereby the plate may be turned and the gauge of the track varied.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

BURCHARD F. BECKMAN, 

